Electroclash, the Newest New Wave

As one era ends, a new one begins. While celebrating the bittersweet glam finale of Club Make-Up on Saturday at the El Rey Theater, I followed the flier trail to the next episode of “As the Scene Turns.” Turns out, everyone’s pumpin’ up the volume on “electroclash” (think ‘80s new wave with a modern twist). Club 7969 in WeHo is jump-starting again with Friday night’s debut of the electroclash club Synthetic, Jason Lavitt’s new dance party. And such clubs as Cherry, which reopens at the Key Club next Thursday, are also spinning the “new” new wave. The music can also be heard at Rage on Mondays and Bang! on Saturdays at the Ruby.

In more 7969 news, the Santa Monica Boulevard venue is now hosting the hip-hop club Hot Apple Pie on Thursdays and the ‘80s dance club Velvet on Saturdays.... Dragonfly’s new Sunday night club Disco Bloodbath serves up darkwave, industrial and gothic tune-age with a live fetish show. Ouch! ... The new Indian restaurant Tantra is casting a spell on Silver Lake with two after-parties for the Sunset Junction festival Aug. 24-25.... With the dog days of summer licking at my face, I packed up the kids and cruised to Ventura on Monday to see Sugar Ray at the Ventura County Fair. How sweet it was....

Soul-folk crooner Jake LaBotz tickled my fancy at the Shamrock Social Club on the Sunset Strip with selections from his new album “Used to Be.” And speaking of excellent local music, Ella Dice’s “Future Hard” offers some serious aural delights. Catch it on the jukebox at the 4100 club. And let’s not forget the new album by Burgundy Room doorman Torrance Jackson, featuring songs by Motochrist boy wonder Ricky Vodka. Cheers.... And for Cali-style tunes, there’s nothing tastier than “By the Way,” the gorgeous new album by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Catch its wave, and you’ll be you’re sitting on top of the world.